Montar Universal car mount: Secure your smartphones while driving

Matthew Miller
Updated
Travelers often try to balance their smartphones while using them for navigation. Pick up an excellent, low cost mount now and drive without worry.

Many of us business travelers spend lots of time on the road and it is frustrating and dangerous to attempt to balance a smartphone running GPS on your dash, leg, or cupholder. I've spent the last few trips in rental cars using the Montar Universal car mount and think it is the perfect traveling companion, available for just $29.99.

My previous favorite mount was the HTC One M7 mount, but that was specific to a single phone. The Montar Universal car mount from WinnerGear can be used with just about every smartphone up to six inches, including the Apple iPhone 6 Plus.

Like many people, my smartphone serves as my GPS navigation device and most of the time I set up my phone while parked and then try to find a place to rest the phone around the center console. My phone often ends up sliding around the console or seat and onto the floor as I am driving. This is a terrible practice and I won't do it again now that I know I can take such a compact and useful mount along with me.

Some mounts I have tested have multiple parts to assemble and clip into place. The Montar Universal mount is elegant in its simplicity. You simple place the suction cup part on the window or dashboard, flip up (or down, depending on your orientation) the securing lever, and then place your smartphone in between the tension adjustable arms.

The suction cup is made of rubber with a sticky gel film so it stays put. You can always wipe it down and make it sticky again if you collect lint in your suitcase. The package also includes a 3M adhesive pad if you want to mount your phone on a textured dashboard, but this is not reusable so should only be applied to your own vehicle and not the rental vehicle.

There is also a tightening nut on the back of the arm mount so you can find your preferred orientation and then lock it into place for that particular location.

The arms are covered in red rubber material so you will not scratch your phone while helping to hold your phone securely in place. You can even rotate the securing arms through 360 degrees so your phone is exactly where you want it positioned. This is important given that some dashboards have curves and you may be trying to fit your phone and mount into a tight corner of the window.

Google Maps powered my navigation sessions on both my Apple iPhone 6 Plus and Sony Xperia Z3 while these phones were mounted in the Montar Universal car mount. The mount never lost control of my phones, despite the attempts I made to shake them loose in the rental car.

The Montar Universal car mount is compact so it travels very well in your luggage. I won't go on a business trip without it now and it makes a great gift for your traveling family member or friend.